A team of scientists is gathering information about the components of the solar nebula from which our solar system formed by studying the carbonaceous chondrite LAP 02342. This primitive meteorite originated from an asteroid that coalesced from dust and ice present in the solar nebula. In fact, LAP 02342 belongs to a class of meteorites that contains some of the most primitive samples of the early Solar System yet known. In addition, the meteorite shows some similarities to ultra carbonaceous Antarctic micrometeorites that are thought to originate from comets.

Using Tunnelling Electron Microscopy (TEM), the team gathered new data about clasts found within the meteorite and the processes that shaped their chemical composition over time. The study, “Visualizing Iron Oxidation State in a Possible Cometary Clast from Carbonaceous Meteorite LAP 02342,” was published in the journal Microscopy and Microanalysis. This work was supported by the Emerging Worlds Program. NASA Astrobiology provides resources for Emerging Worlds and other Research and Analysis programs within the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) that solicit proposals relevant to astrobiology research.